14
MELBOURNE ZOO. ASIAN RAIN-FOREST EXHIBITS 165 Gerber Strained Baby Beef: manufactured by Gerber Products Co., 445 State Street, Fremont, MI 49413, USA. IAMS Puppy Food: manufactured by The IAMS Company, 7250 Poe Avenue, Dayton, OH 45414, USA. IMRAB: killed rabies virus vaccine, manufactured by Rhone Merieux, Inc., 115 Transtech Drive, Athens, GA 30601, USA. Intensive Care Unit: manufactured by Animal Care Products, 3179 Hamner, Suite 6, Norco, CA 91760, USA. Lactaid: enzyme additive, manufactured by Lactaid Inc., Pleasantville, NJ 08232, USA. Ohaus Kilogram Scale: Copstello Milazo Co., 948 West Carroll Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Preemie Nipple: twist-on special care nipple unit, manufactured by Ross Laboratories, Colombus, OH 43216, USA. In[. Zoo Yb. (1995) 34 165-178 Purina Puppy Chow: Ralston Purina Co., St Louis, MO 63164, USA. Sartorius Gram Scale: Data Weighing Systems Inc., 755 Nicholas Boulevard, Elk Grove, IL 60007, USA. Science Diet: dog chow, manufactured by Colgate- Palmolive Co., Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., 400 SW 8th Street, Capital Towers, 7th Floor, Topeka, KS 66601, USA. Wayne’s Puppy 0s: dog chow, Pet Products Plus, Inc., 1600 Heritage Landing, Suite 112, St Charles, MO 63303, USA. REFERENCE RODDEN, M. (1995): Maned wolf SSP management manual. Front Royal, VA: Front Royal Conserva- tion Center. Manuscript submitted 16 May 1994; revised 28 August 1995. 0 The Zoological Society of London Asian Tropical Rainforest stage I: Tiger/Otter exhibit at Melbourne Zoo AMANDA EMBURY’ & JOHN ARNOTT* 1 Project and Planning Co-ordinator and 2HorticulturaI Technician, Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, PO Box 74, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia This paper contains a description of the steps involved in developing stage I of Melbourne Zoo’s Asian Tropical Rainforest area, including con- straints and opportunities, relationship to the Master Plan, research, development of graphics and, ulti- mately, design and construction of the exhibit. The project occupies an area of 2040m2, including an aviary but excluding the 200 mz off-exhibit facilities, and was constructed at a cost of AUS$745000. Stage I was developed to display Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae. Asian small-clawed otter Aonyx cinereu and Binturong Arctictis binturong. The development of naturalistic exhibits is a complex process involving many stages. At Melbourne Zoo, the philosophies of the Master Plan provide the guidelines and considerable effort is also given to defining the experience to be created, prior to designing the exhibit. Developing the first stage of the Asian Tropical Rainfo- rest area has been a challenge. The exhibits need to continue the feeling of the African Tropical Rainforest (Arnott et al., 1994) but visitors should be able to dif- ferentiate readily between the two areas. Careful selection of plants and a change in focus for graphics help to convey the differences. . Under the Master Plan, Melbourne Zoo will be developed into a series of re-cre- ated habitat zones so that anixals which would share the same natural habitat will be grouped together to convey the theme of interdependency. The first exhibit to be created in the Asian geographic subdivi- sion of the Tropical Rainforest biocli- matic zone was to display Sumatran tiger

Asian Tropical Rainforest stage I: Tiger/Otter exhibit at Melbourne Zoo

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Page 1: Asian Tropical Rainforest stage I: Tiger/Otter exhibit at Melbourne Zoo

MELBOURNE ZOO. ASIAN RAIN-FOREST EXHIBITS 165

Gerber Strained Baby Beef: manufactured by Gerber Products Co., 445 State Street, Fremont, MI 49413, USA. IAMS Puppy Food: manufactured by The IAMS Company, 7250 Poe Avenue, Dayton, OH 45414, USA. IMRAB: killed rabies virus vaccine, manufactured by Rhone Merieux, Inc., 115 Transtech Drive, Athens, GA 30601, USA. Intensive Care Unit: manufactured by Animal Care Products, 3179 Hamner, Suite 6, Norco, CA 91760, USA. Lactaid: enzyme additive, manufactured by Lactaid Inc., Pleasantville, NJ 08232, USA. Ohaus Kilogram Scale: Copstello Milazo Co., 948 West Carroll Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Preemie Nipple: twist-on special care nipple unit, manufactured by Ross Laboratories, Colombus, OH 43216, USA.

In[. Zoo Yb. (1995) 34 165-178

Purina Puppy Chow: Ralston Purina Co., St Louis, MO 63164, USA. Sartorius Gram Scale: Data Weighing Systems Inc., 755 Nicholas Boulevard, Elk Grove, IL 60007, USA. Science Diet: dog chow, manufactured by Colgate- Palmolive Co., Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., 400 SW 8th Street, Capital Towers, 7th Floor, Topeka, KS 66601, USA. Wayne’s Puppy 0 s : dog chow, Pet Products Plus, Inc., 1600 Heritage Landing, Suite 112, St Charles, MO 63303, USA.

REFERENCE RODDEN, M. (1995): Maned wolf SSP management manual. Front Royal, VA: Front Royal Conserva- tion Center.

Manuscript submitted 16 May 1994; revised 28 August 1995.

0 The Zoological Society of London

Asian Tropical Rainforest stage I: Tiger/Otter exhibit at Melbourne Zoo AMANDA EMBURY’ & JOHN ARNOTT* 1 Project and Planning Co-ordinator and 2HorticulturaI Technician, Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, PO Box 74, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia

This paper contains a description of the steps involved in developing stage I of Melbourne Zoo’s Asian Tropical Rainforest area, including con- straints and opportunities, relationship to the Master Plan, research, development of graphics and, ulti- mately, design and construction of the exhibit. The project occupies an area of 2040m2, including an aviary but excluding the 200 mz off-exhibit facilities, and was constructed at a cost of AUS$745000. Stage I was developed to display Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae. Asian small-clawed otter Aonyx cinereu and Binturong Arctictis binturong.

The development of naturalistic exhibits is a complex process involving many stages. At Melbourne Zoo, the philosophies of the Master Plan provide the guidelines and considerable effort is also given to defining the experience to be created, prior to designing the exhibit. Developing the

first stage of the Asian Tropical Rainfo- rest area has been a challenge. The exhibits need to continue the feeling of the African Tropical Rainforest (Arnott et al., 1994) but visitors should be able to dif- ferentiate readily between the two areas. Careful selection of plants and a change in focus for graphics help to convey the differences. .

Under the Master Plan, Melbourne Zoo will be developed into a series of re-cre- ated habitat zones so that anixals which would share the same natural habitat will be grouped together to convey the theme of interdependency. The first exhibit to be created in the Asian geographic subdivi- sion of the Tropical Rainforest biocli- matic zone was to display Sumatran tiger

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166 THE DEVELOPING ZOO WORLD

Panthera tigris sumatrae, Asian small- clawed otter Aonyx cinerea and Binturong Arctictis binturong. A concept design brief was developed using literature reviews to determine habitat, life history and captive requirements of all three species.

BACKGROUND Planning for a Sumatran tiger exhibit commenced in 1989. The Sumatran sub- species was chosen because it is more likely to benefit than other tiger subspe- cies by an increase in the captive popu- lation. In order to develop initial ideas for this exhibit all staff were invited to attend a ‘brain-storming’ session. Many ideas were discussed and various options were considered. The project, however, had to be placed on hold because of a lack of funds. In 1991 Esso Australia generously agreed to sponsor the exhibit, providing the catalyst for further development.

The existing OttedBinturong mixed exhibit was considered inappropriate to the Master Plan design philosophies and the small, shallow pool did little to pro- mote the aquatic behaviours of the otters. Because both Asian small-clawed otters and Binturong occur on Sumatra, it was decided that an Otter/Binturong exhibit could be developed to complement the Sumatran tiger exhibit. Maintaining the sympatric terrestriayaquatic Otter and arboreal Binturong in the one exhibit means that various habitat levels are occu- pied. Two aviaries were planned in stage I of the Asian Tropical Rainforest but were omitted initially because of financial constraints.

TIGER EXHIBIT In developing the theme for the exhibit, visitor needs had to be considered and it would not be sensible to create a dense jungle in which the tiger could not be observed readily. Given that tigers are sol- itary animals, it is not possible to house groups in one area. At best a pair and their offspring could be displayed and at times only one tiger may have access to

the exhibit; for example, when the $’ is nearing parturition. Melbourne Zoo is fortunate to have a Sumatran tiger which can be introduced to cubs. The exhibit has a total area of 800 m2 and is built to create the impression of being along the edge of a river or swamp. Fairly open vegetation borders the moat, which increases viewing opportunities while creating a naturalistic setting.

Because the proposed Sumatran tiger area included a water feature it was con- sidered appropriate to locate the exhibit adjacent to an existing water body: the Asian Rainforest Lake (Fig. 1). An island within the lake will be developed at a later date to display an Asian species such as Siamang Hylobates syndactylus.

Once the site was chosen, options for restraints and barriers were considered. An objective of the Master Plan is to create exhibits that do not have obvious visual barriers. The tiger exhibit is viewed from a pathway which is designed to look like a bridge, providing a link between the tiger pool and the adjacent lake. The pool not only encourages the tigers to bathe but also doubles as a moat, forming a bar- rier which visitors look across to view the animals. Landscaping has been used to elevate the rear of the enclosure so that visitors do not look down into the tiger exhibit. A 32 mm thick plate-glass panel, comprised of two 15 mm thick glass plates with a polymer membrane, has been fitted into the pool as a safety barrier in the unlikely event of someone falling over the rail-and-post barrier into the water (Plate 1). Generally, visitors’ eyes will be directed above the glass panel so it will not be noticed. When a tiger is swimming in the moat visitors can view it through the panel.

Our knowledge of the behaviour of our animals helped us to design the exhibit. As Melbourne Zoo’s tigers tend to frequent the area near the doors to the night-den facilities during the latter part of the day because they are fed in there in the late afternoon, the doors to the night dens

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Fig. 1. Ground plan of the Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumafrae exhibit at Melbourne Zoo: L. landscaped area; w. water moat; vp. visitor pathway; vs. viewing station; vh. viewing hide. The off-exhibit area comprises: an outdoor yard with s. sand area and c. concrete area; d. dens; b. bench; r. raceway; sq. squeeze cage; ka. keeper area; v. keeper viewing point.

were placed near the viewing areas. We also knew that our tigers like water, hence we were confident in using a water moat as a feature. The water moat varies in depth, with a maximum of 2.2 m.

A 4.4 m high weldmesh fence with a 1.5 m overhang set at 30’ surrounds the rest of the exhibit (Plate 1). At the second viewing station a rail-and-post barrier keeps the visitors away from the weld- mesh. Immediately in front of this viewing area rock-mound caves have been placed to shelter the tigers during inclement weather (Plate 2). The behavioural needs of the tigers have been considered and the landscaping provides elevated and ‘com- fortable’ areas for resting and protection from the elements.

OTTER EXHIBIT The otter exhibit, situated adjacent to the tiger exhibit, occupies an area of 210 m2

and has been developed to replicate a stream flowing through a tropical forest into a lake or swamp (Fig. 2). The primary viewing station offers an under- water view through a 25 mm thick window, comprised of two 12mm wide glass plates with a polymer membrane (Plate 3). Additional views are afforded across 1.3 m high concrete walls which are sculpted to resemble rockwork and a smooth finish on the exhibit side forms an effective barrier. Electric fencing is used as an additional restraint. Water has been used as a feature and a stream, with a maximum depth of 0.75 m, flows through the exhibit and cascades into the lake. The stream is comprised of three isolated water bodies: a shallow fast-flowing stream, a pool at the viewing window and the link to the lake. Asian small-clawed otters prefer to forage for food in shallow waters. Real and artificial rocks are used

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I68 THE DEVELOPING ZOO WORLD

Plate 1. The main viewing point for the Sumatran tiger Punthera tigris sumutrae exhibit at Melbourne Zoo. The rail-and-post barrier is non-obtrusive and visitors look over the glass panel in the moat to see the animals. The weldmesh fence and overhang which surrounds the rest of the exhibit can be seen clearly here. Amandu Emhury.

to create the stream base and surround- ings. Rocks are either fixed with cement or are loose, which promotes foraging activity. Larger rocks provide warm, sunny locations for basking (Plate 4). Large trees are provided for the Binturong.

AVlARY During 1994 a 30 m2 Asian bird aviary was built. The aviary was constructed from 13 x 13 mm galvanized wiremesh over a steel frame at a cost of AUS$20 000, including labour and materials.

An enclosed ‘viewing hide’ isolates vis- itors from surrounding exhibits and focuses their attention on the birds (Fig. 3) . The mesh walls and roof of the aviary can not be seen from the glass viewing window in the hide where the solid walls of the interior provide ample

space for interpretative graphics. The exterior has been clad in bamboo rein- forcing the ambience of South-east Asia. The angled sides and the sloping roof of the aviary create the illusion that it is much higher and wider than it actually is. Plantings, utilizing the plant list developed for the tiger and otter exhibits, screen the wiremesh back wall.

PLANTINGS Previous plantings within the Tropical Rainforest zone have focused on the Aus- tralian and African plant species associ- ated with the Gorilla Rainforest (Embury, 1992), the Pygmy Hippopotamus/Man- drill exhibit (Arnott et al., 1994), the Butterfly House and the Great Flight Aviary. In stage I of the development of the Asian Rainforest we wanted to intro- duce a large and diverse range of plant forms and types from South-east Asia.

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MELBOURNE ZOO. ASIAN RAIN-FOREST EXHIBITS 169

Plate 2. Rock cave shelter for the tigers. AinundLr Embury.

Asian tropical plants are cultivated relatively more often in Australia than African species, reflecting not so much Australia’s close proximity to Asia but the contacts made by the spice trade between European and Asian countries. A large range of plants from tropical Asia has been collected and cultivated in Australia and a surprising number of plants now associated with traditional European gar- dens have oriental origins.

Not all the tropical Asian plants culti- vated in Australia were appropriate for our exhibits, nor were they all commer- cially available. The bulk of the plant material selected was propagated at the Zoo’s plant nursery and trials were carried out to test for suitability, prior to the development of detailed planting sched- ules. The preparation time associated with this process was approximately 18 months.

Because the focus of modern zoo exhibits is on habitat and the interactions

between animals and their environments, planting plays a vital role and often needs to meet exacting criteria. The plant selec- tion process depends on a number of key factors: (1) the natural habitat of the animals displayed; (2) the theme of exhibits and other design factors; (3) the animals displayed and associated difficul- ties in terms of vegetation management within exhibits; (4) budgets and cost restraints.

The published results of vegetation sur- veys and field studies were used to develop plant lists. Although few of the species encountered in the literature were likely to be available, this step was important in order to develop an understanding of the natural habitat we were trying imitate so that suitable substitute species could be selected. Over 7000 plants of over 120 species (c. 50 of which occur naturally in South-east Asia) from the Australian rain forest, tropical and sub-tropical southern China and South-east Asia formed the

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170 T H E DEVELOPING ZOO WORLD

basis of plantings (Table 1). Planting schedules and landscape design were a collaborative effort between the horticul- tural staff and the landscape architects Green Dale & Associates. The site was divided into a series of designated areas and the vegetation requirements were defined. Once the ‘look’ for each area was determined, plants were selected and placement was at the discretion of the hor- ticultural staff.

As with all animal exhibits, planting concepts and designs need to cater for the pressures that the occupants will place on the plantings. While it is desirable to pro- duce accurate representation of the nat- ural habitat, some harsh realities exist and different strategies may have to be used for the exhibit and external landscape plantings.

A planting trial, using c. 50 plants, was undertaken in the existing otter exhibit. Through their nest-building activities

otters can quickly damage grasses and sedges, so although a few species persisted for several months, the majority of plants ‘disappeared’ within weeks. The key ele- ments to managing the otter exhibit were the supply of nesting materials and the initial establishment of plants within the exhibit. The enclosure has been heavily planted with densities approaching five plants per square metre. A range of plant species, forms and types has been included and this will provide clues to the plants that could survive in the long term. Ongoing management will require the monitoring of plant success and failure and an active response with replanting programmes.

The otter exhibit and surrounds are dominated by a combination of tropical sedges, rain-forest trees and a variety of understorey species. Among these are Malabar plum Syzygium jumbos, a small rain-forest tree with edible fruits from

Fig. 2. Ground plan of the Asian small-clawed otter Aonyx cinerea and Binturong Arclictis binturong exhibit: L. landscape area: w. water (showing outline of flowing stream); p. pool: vp. visitor pathway; vw. underwater viewing window (see also Plate 3); vs. viewing station: k. keeper footpath; oef. off-exhibit facility.

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MELBOURNE ZOO: ASIAN RAIN-FOREST EXHIBITS 171

Plate 3. Underwater viewing window for the Asian small-clawed otter Aonys cinrrea exhibit. Amanda Embury.

Plate 4. Landscaping within the otter exhibit. Amanda Embury

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I12 THE DEVELOPING ZOO WORLD

South-east Asia; umbrella plant Scheffra actinophylla, a large shrub or small tree from the rain forests of northern Australia and Papua New Guinea; champaca Michelia champaca, a small tree cultivated for its essential oils, from Malaysia; red cedar Toona australis, an Australian rain- forest tree with large pinnate leaves; king fern Angiopteris evecta, a huge fern which in the wild develops fronds to the length of 5 m; yellow camellia Camellia chry- santha, from tropical China and South- east Asia.

The Sumatran tiger exhibit and sur- rounding landscape is a more open environment, reflecting the ‘water’s edge’ theme. The dominant plants are bamboos, palms, sedges, smaller rain-forest trees and large shrubs. These include windmill palm Trachycarpus fortunei, a single trunked fan palm from Myanmar and China; parasol tree Firrniana simplex, a deciduous tree from the monsoon forests of South-east Asia; taro Colocasia escu- lenta, a herbaceous semi-aquatic plant from tropical Asia, widely cultivated throughout the tropics for its edible root; rice paper plant Tetrapanax papyrifera, a large multi-trunked shrub, with large pal- mate leaves, from southern China and Taiwan; blue oliveberry Elaeocarpus reticulatus, an Australian rain-forest tree with masses of small purple berries in the spring. The enclosure features a large stand of Metake Pseudosasa japonica, an attractive spreading bamboo from Japan,

and grasses and sedges are dominant, including weeping sedge Carex fascicularis and palm grass Setaria palmifolia.

VISITOR INTERPRETATION The visitor areas and the exhibits are landscaped to re-create an Asian tropical rain forest. Pathways of compacted gravel meander through c. 1000 mz of plantings, leading visitors to the exhibits (Plate 5) . The landscaping of the African rain-forest exhibits are differentiated from the Asian rain-forest ones by the use of different plants and rocks; granite rock is used in the Asian exhibits in contrast to the basalt used in the African area.

Copy for labels was developed, using Melbourne Zoo’s signage manual (Vin- cent & Assocs, unpubl.) and the themes/ messages document (Public Education Review Group, unpubl.), to convey the underlying interpretative theme of ‘inter- dependency’. Because more species are found in tropical rain forests than in other habitats, diversity was used as the theme for this area of the Zoo. Islands are the focus for the Asian Tropical Rainforest labels. Island populations are often iso- lated with implications for both evolution and extinction and the importance of islands in the evolution of species has been chosen as the primary discussion point. Tiger subspecies arose from several island populations which formed and evolved separately and the Sumatran tiger is used to illustrate this. Because of restricted

Fig. 3. Cross-sectional view of the hide and aviary for ground-dwelling birds: va. visitor area; g. glass; rw. rear wall. R. Thompson.

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MELBOIJRNE ZOO ASIAN RAIN-FOREST EXHIBITS 173

BAMBOO Arundo donux Phyllostachys aurea Phyllostachys nigra Pieioblastus viridistriatus Pseudosasa japonica Shibataea kumasasa Thamnocalamus spathaceus

GRASS Panicum sp Pennisetum hambusiforme Setaria palmijolia Setaria sp Stipa veriicillata

SEDGE~GRASS Carex appvessa Cares fascicularis Cares riparia Carex terrticuulis Caves sp Cyperus gunnii Gahnia siehrriuna Isolepis nodosa Juncus pullidus Schoenop1ectu.r vallidus

FERN Angiopteris evecia

GROUND COVER Desmodiun? intortum Dichondra repens Duchesneo indica Polygonum ou'oratum Viola hederacea

HARDY PERENNIAL Alocasia hrishanensis Alocasiu sp Alpinia mutica Aspidistra elatior Boehmeria nivea Crinum pendunculatum Curiuligo capitulata Hedychium coronarium Musa veiuiina Polliu crisputa

PALM

Mediterranean China China China Japan Japan South China

South-east Asia Papua New Guinea Australia

Australia/South-east Asia AustralialSouth-east Asia AustralidSouth-east Asia Australia Papua New Guinea Australia Australia/South-east Asia Australia Australia Australia

Australia/South-east Asia

South-east Asia Australia India South-east Asia AustralialSouth-east Asia

AustralialSouth-east Asia Australia/South-east Asia South-east Asia Japan South-east Asia Australia Australia/South-east Asia South-east Asia South-east Asia Australia

Archontophoenix cunninghamiuna Australia Arenga tremula China/South-east Asia Calamus caryotoides Australia Phoeni-y sp Rhapis excelsa Japan Trachycarpus fortunei South-east AsialChina

Melbourne Zoo Trade Trade Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo

Melbourne Zoo Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Melbourne Zoo Papua New Guinea Melbourne Zoo

Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Specialist grower Papua New Guinea Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Trade Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo

Melbourne Zoo

Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, Brisbane Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo

Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Trade Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Specialist grower Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo

Trade Palm & Cycad Society, Queensland Palm & Cycad Society, Queensland Trade Melbourne Zoo Trade

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174 THE DEVELOPING ZOO WORLD

SPECIES ORIGIN

~~

SOURCE

SHRUB or SMALL TREE A rgophy llum nullumense Michelia champaca Michelia yunnanensis Michelia velutina Pip turus argenteus Pittosporum sachnianum Pittosporum undulatum Radermachera sinica Schefjera actinophylla Syzygium jambos Tupidanthus calyptratus

TREE Acacia dealbata Acmena smithii Aleurites fordii Commersonia bartramia Elaeocarpus reticulatus Eriabotrya japonica Erythrina indica Ficus macrophylla Ficus religiosa Ficus rubiginosa Ficus sp Firmiana simplex Flindersia schottiana Galbulimima belgraveana Geissois benthamii Glochidion ferdinandii Michelia doltsopa Paulownia tomentosa Pleiogynium timorense Podocarpus elatus Populus yunnanensis Psychotria loniceriodes Toona australis Ulmus parvifolia

SHRUB Agapetes serpens Boehmeri platyphylla

Callicarpa pendunculata Camellia chrysantha Camellia japonica Eranthemum pulchellum Fatsia japonica Gordonia axillaris Yunnan form Hibiscus geraniodies Hibiscus heterophyllus Hibiscus mutabilis Hibiscus splendens Hibiscus taiwanensis Lagerstroemia speciosa Manglietia chingii Michelia Jig0

Australia South-east Asia ChindSouth-east Asia Himalayas AustralidSouth-east Asia China Australia South-east Asia Australia/Papua New Guinea South-east Asia South-east Asia

Australia Australia South China AustralidSouth-east Asia Australia Japan

Australia South-east Asia Australia

South-east Asia Australia Australia Australia Australia Himalayas China AustralidSouth-east Asia Australia South China AustralidSouth-east Asia Australia China

Himalayas Australia

Australia/South-east Asia China/South-east Asia China Central Asia Japan South China Australia Australia South-east Asia Australia South-east Asia South-east Asia South-east AsidChina China

Specialist grower Trade Specialist grower Specialist grower Existing Melbourne Zoo Existing Melbourne Zoo Trade Trade Melbourne Zoo

Existing Existing Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, Brisbane Trade Trade Trade Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Trade Melbourne Zoo Trade Trade Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Trade Trade Specialist grower Existing Trade Specialist grower Trade Trade

Trade Australia Nationa Botani Garden

Botanic Gardens, Sydney Specialist grower Trade Taronga Zoo Trade Specialist grower Melbourne Zoo Trade Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, Brisbane Trade Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Trade Specialist grower Trade

A.C.T.

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MELBOURNE ZOO: ASIAN RAIN-FOREST EXHIBITS 175

SPECIES ORIGIN SOURCE

SHRUB cont. Omolanthus populijolius Pierus rhwkyiensis Rhododendron ‘vireya’ Sarcococca ruscijolia Tetrapanax papyrijera Viburnum japonicum Viburnum rhytidophyllum

AQUATIC Baumea articulata Bolboschoenus medianus Colocasia esculenta Phylydrum lanuginosum Phragmites australis Potamogeton tricarinatus

CYCAD Cycas circinalis

ORCHID Cymbidium vars

VINE Lonicera hildebrandiana Trachelospermum .jasminoides

AustralidSouth-east Asia South-east Asia South-east Asia South China South China Japan South China

AustralidSouth-east Asia Australia South-east Asia AustralialSouth-east Asia AustralidSouth-east Asia AustralidSouth-east Asia

South-east Asia

South-east Asia

South-east Asia Japan

Trade Specialist grower Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo Trade Specialist grower

Specialist grower Specialist grower Specialist grower Specialist grower Existing Specialist grower

Palm & Cycad Society, Queensland

Donation

Trade Trade

Table 1. Plant list for stage I of the Asian Tropical Rainforest at Melbourne Zoo.

distribution, island populations are extremely vulnerable if their habitat is degraded; possible effects of environ- mental change on the endemic species of Sumatra are conveyed using the tiger as the example. The vulnerability of animals and plants with limited distributions is illustrated further by descriptions of the extinction of the Bali tiger Panthera tigris balica and the possibly extinct Javan tiger Panthera tigris sondaica (Plate 6).

Animal identification signs detail distri- bution, status and life style. More detailed signs elaborate on behaviour, adaptations and the relationship between species and habitat; for example, information about Asian small-clawed otters foraging in water includes a sentence on the impact of water pollution on the animals.

Details of conservation programmes are included. One sign describes the co-oper- ative breeding programme for Sumatran

tigers, including Melbourne Zoo’s success at breeding them, and a global co-oper- ative programme for breeding the subspecies.

Keepers give daily talks and feed the otters in front of the visitors providing environmental enrichment for the otters and giving visitors the opportunity to ask questions.

SUPPORT FACILITIES There are 200 m2 of off-exhibit facilites for stage I of the Asian Tropical Rainforest. An extensive building for the tigers (Fig. l), constructed of masonry block- work with concrete floors, contains four night dens, each measuring 4.5 x 4 m and furnished with a recycled-plastic bench for sleeping. The raceway leading from the night dens to the exhibit passes through a squeeze cage allowing the tigers to become conditioned to it as part of their daily

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176 THE DEVELOPING ZOO WORLD

Plate 5. Graphics and visitor pathway beside the tiger exhibit. Amanda Embury.

routine. There are two off-exhibit yards, each measuring 8 x S m , with sand and concrete substrates. The sides and roof of each yard are weldmesh. An alarm system is installed for the safety of staff.

Small yards with tin and wiremesh walls are provided off-exhibit for the otters and Binturongs. The Binturong yard is also roofed with tin. Boxes are provided for additional shelter and as cubbing dens.

There is vehicle access to the tiger exhibit. Keeper service pathways allow access to both exhibits from the off- exhibit areas.

Two Davey 260 pumps, each with a capacity of 260 litres of water per minute with a complete turnover every 13.5 minutes, are used to maintain water quality at the underwater viewing window. Water is pumped through a Davey Triton 530 sand filter. Daily, the flocculant poly-aluminium-chloride is added to the filters post backwash to pro- mote water clarity.

POST-OCCUPANCY EVALUATION Because of budgetary constraints several ideas proposed during the planning phase were deleted from the project but the final result has exceeded staff expectations. Although we acknowledge that the exhibit ‘could have been better’, the available resources have been used well to ensure that the final product satisfies animal, vis- itor and staff needs proving that it is possible to develop good contemporary exhibits with limited resources.

The exhibit was opened in October 1993. Delays during construction and the fact that the Zoo was committed to the opening date meant that the animals only had a short settling-in period and had not fully adjusted to their new environment. Various minor problems occurred during the first weeks of operation. The otters hid in crevices they found in the rockwork and the gaps needed to be sealed with cement. The Binturong discovered several escape routes which had to be closed off

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MELBOURNE ZOO ASIAN RAIN-FOREST EXHIBITS 1 I1

Plate 6. Detail of sign for Sumatran tigers. Amanda Emhury.

using additional electric fencing. The tigers proved fairly sensitive to their new environment and were initially reluctant to leave the off-exhibit facilities. Because they were not entirely at ease, they generally rested among the vegetation away from the viewing areas. Mild aggres- sive interactions between the pair meant that only one tiger was on display at that time. Following media coverage of the opening, many visitors were disappointed when they failed to see the tigers. How- ever, with the passing weeks, the tigers set- tled down and were much more visible. The 8 was often observed sitting near the pool. Our experiences highlight the need for an acclimatization period, which is sufficient to allow animals to become familiar with new surroundings before they are placed on display, not only for the welfare of the animals but also to

enhance visitor experience. The $! has been observed swimming in the pool, which the tigers usually only use in the warmer months, more frequently than the 3. Although positive matings have been observed the $! has shown no signs of pregnancy.

The otter exhibit has proved immensely popular, particularly at feeding times. A group of six otters, a pair and 3.1 off- spring, is maintained and generally there is some form of activity taking place in the exhibit. All the 68 are neutered. One problem we had not foreseen was visitors reaching into the enclosure to touch the otters and being bitten. Additional ‘warning’ signs and changes to the plant bed have alleviated this problem.

The Binturong has been removed from the enclosure because despite various inspections to determine escape routes and barrier modifications he escaped reg- ularly. He is now held in a fully enclosed exhibit.

The aviary contains a bachelor group of five Nicobar pigeons Caloenas nicobarica, a pair of Siamese fireback pheasant Lophura diardi and a pair of Red-whisk- ered bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus. It has been a great success and many visitors enter the hide to view the birds. A second aviary will be constructed during 1995.

We are planning to build additional exhibits in the Asian Tropical Rainforest area for Sumatran orang-utan Pongo pyg- maeus albei and Siamang.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Tony Kotevski for his assistance in pro- viding technical details of the exhibit. Thanks also to the carnivore keepers, especially Chris Stevens and Mike Brocklehurst, and the Curator of Birds, Leo Oosterweghel, for answering various questions. Thanks are extended to Esso Australia for making the exhibit possible. We are grateful to the Project Leaders, Green Dale & Associates, Landscape Architects; the Project Sub-Consultants, S & L Design Pty. Ltd and R. J. Showers & Associates, Consultant Engineers; James Hart Architects; Actil Pty. Ltd, Irrigation Design Consultants.

Page 14: Asian Tropical Rainforest stage I: Tiger/Otter exhibit at Melbourne Zoo

178 THE DEVELOPING ZOO WORLD

REFERENCES ARNOTT, J., EMBURY, A. & PRENDERGAST, R. (1994): Pygmy HippopotaniusIMandrill exhibit at Mel- bourne Zoo. Int. Zoo Yb. 3 3 252-262. EMBURY, A. S. (1992): Gorilla Rainforest at Mel- bourne Zoo. Int. Zoo Yb. 31: 203-213. PUBLIC EDUCATION REVIEW GROUP (Unpublished): Melbourne Zoo themeslmessages: a way of developing

interpretive messages. The Royal Melbourne Zoolog- ical Gardens, 1993. VINCENT, E. & ASSOCIATES (UnpubIished): The Ro-va/ Melbourne Zoological Gardens graphics standards manual: a circulatory and information sign system for the Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens. The Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, 1991.

Manuscript submitted 24 November 1993; revised 31 July 1995.

Int. Zoo Yb. (1995) 3 4 178-185 0 The Zoological Society of London

Three decades of Snow leopards

in captivity Panthera uncia

LEIF BLOMQVIST International Studbook Keeper and EEP Co-ordinator for Snow Leopards, Helsinki Zoo, Korkeasaari, FIN-00570 Helsinki, Finland

The international studbook for Snow leopards Panthera uncia was established at Helsinki Zoo in 1976. This paper reports on the status of the captive population over the last three decades and contains genetic and demographic analysis using the Single Population Analysis and Records Keeping System computer program. The number of collections main- taining the species has increased from ten in 1961 to 160 in 1991 and the captive population as at 1 Jan- uary 1992 was 541. A total of 1599 Snow leopards have been listed in the studbook of which 27% (428), one-third of wild-caught and a quarter of captive- bred animals, have bred. The captive population has 53 founders 11 of which are still living. Founder genetic contribution ranges from 0.1 to 8.6% with a mean representation of 1.8 1,95u/. As at January 1992 98% of the living population was captive bred.

Studbooks are an essential tool for the management of captive populations. The number of international studbooks has increased from nine in 1960 to 140 in 1993 (Olney, 1994). As more species become threatened in the wild a growing number of zoo collections are adopting a policy of maintaining rare animals in captivity (IUDZGICBSG (IUCNESC), 1993). This

ex situ management can support the con- servation of threatened species in the wild.

Although the first studbooks provided little more than a register for a particular species many have developed into sophis- ticated tools for population management and can be used to produce Master Plans to preserve the demographic and genetic health of a captive population.

The international studbook for the Snow leopard Panthera uncia was estab- lished at Helsinki Zoo in 1976 (Blomqvist, 1978a) and has been published regularly by the author ever since. By the mid-1970s the number of collections housing Snow leopards had increased and an inter- national studbook was considered urgent. Between 1992 and 1993 the studbook data was entered into the Single Population Analysis and Records Keeping System computer program developed by ISIS (Scobie, 1993) to increase uniformity among studbook keeping systems. Because data on Snow leopards main- tained in Chinese Zoos are only available